Roll towel cabinet



March 15, C, w HOMPSO 1,849,120

ROLL TOWEL CABINET Filed Nov. 15, 1928 3 sheets sheec 1 flo 1928 3Sheets-Sheet 2 I! f o o 0 o o q o o 0 o o o III. llrkln rf w J m. 4

- Iwvewlor March 15, 1932. c. w. THOMPSON ROLL TOWEL CABINET Filed Nov.15,

March 15, 1932. c. w. THOMPSON 1,849,120

ROLL TOWEL CABINET 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Nov 19287/1/11!!!"III/11111111111lIllIllIlIIIl/l11111111114 Patented Mar. 15, v

it? i er res VPORATION OF UTAHv stem ifm I (ii-memes TI-F-OMBSON, orwoLms'ron 'n'iAssAcHnsETrs; AssreNoRfBY nsnn as SIG-NMENTIS, seamenSALES coivrrenY, on SALT LAKE -CITY, 'UTAH, A 003,-

noLL rowii 2 cni nnr llbiilication filed. manbe 15, ez8. serialK013152532. I

b This invention relatesto a roll tbwel cabi net, particularly thekinddesigned to be attached to a'walL V One of the objects of thisinvent'ionis to provide a simple; reliable, and inexpensive mechanism wherebytheact of unwinding the roll of clean toweling also winds thegsoiledtoweling; Another object is to provide means wherebythe toweli'n'g'i'sautomatically v withdrawn from sight when it is released; after using.Another object is to provide a ineasuredor limited portion of cleantoweling 'for each user. Still another object is to make the cabinet intwo sections so that the inner section alone maybe replaced'wheni1tbecomes worn or unsan tary, thereby sayin the cost of the more expensiveouter section which willoutwear several, inner sections. Thisarrangement also makes it easier to insert clean toweling as, itprovides more room for the hands between the Various parts. W ith theabove and-other objects in View which will more readily appear ,asthefna ture of the invention is better understood, the

same consists in'the novel construction, combination, and arrangement ofparts herein after, more fullydescrlbed', clalmed, and 11 lnstrated inthe accompanying drawings. l

7 When my cabinet is equipped [with the automatic take-up m'echanism,some slight" changes are madein ityandthe'drawings illust-rate thecabinet with and without said mechanism i i vFigure 1 is a Verticalsectional side View of my cabinet without the automaticjtake-upmechanism, showing. the soile'dtowel hang-i v illustrated in Figure 2'ofthe drawings. .The

' toweling'which passes over this piece 10k exposed outside of the'cabinet sothat the user can readily seewhere to grasp it, and byllifl'sin a loop belowf s V V i Figure 2 1s, front iew of mytowelcabinet with the dooropened, partlybroken away to show the toweland winding stick, and

showing part of theautomatic take-up mechanism.

Figure 3 is showing my towel cabinet equipped with the automatic take-upmechanism in its normal position when the toweling is not being'used.

I 501 line 4 -4 of Figure 2 with the F s refi how tw 1 joinedtogetherwith a 1asp.-

I a cross-sectional View taken on I the line 3-5 of F gure 2 w1th thedoor closed,

toweling.

Figure 6 i" a viewincro line 6 6 of Figure 4f Figure '7' traveler. r

Figuregfisja :view 1n perspective Q'f 'the winding stick. 7 1

inserted 111 5116 7 cate'corres-pondingpartsin each figure; v

As illustrated, the towel cabinet preferably consists of an outerframeor section 10 which consists ofa bottom 10a, sides 106', abzicklOc';

= Like numerals andl'e'tters of reference "indi v a top 10d having holes.106 out thereinfor ventilating purposes, and a front door 10f swingingon hinges 10h, said door consisting of"?! mirror 10i onthe' outside; anda mirror backing piece or holder l'Oj on the inside; liorwardedge of thebottomj10a is slightly rearward of the forward edge of the sides 10b;

ss se'ction on the V iew in perspective ofthe Figure?) is a Trent Viewshowing end-of the'sheet of toweli'ng with the winding stick Qg'ths'toweling leaving a space10g" betweenrthe bottom 10a th ejdoorlOfi-through which the toweli'ng runs downwardlyoutjof the cabinetfA largeslot 10am is cut out lof the bottom 10a at the rear throughwhichthetoweling runs as later described.- I i 'lVhen my cabinet isequipped with the auto-: y matic taljze-up mechanism later described, an

extension piece 107:, narrower than the width of toweling which passesover it, isattached to-the bottomf'lO'a 'ofthe outer frame 1O, as

making said'piece 1070 narrower than the better grip on it than he,would be able to if the piecelOIc extended to the outer edge of the'Slidably mounted within 1.0 is an inner case or section 11, havingjabottom 11a, sides 11?), a two-piece back" '110,'a top 11d, havingholeslle in alignment with this outer frame the holes 106 when the inner caseis in place. The rear ends v111?) of the sides 11?) are rearward of theback 110, and fit flush against the back 100 of the outer frame 10 whenthe cabine't is in use. This construction of said rear ends 111?)provides suflicient space between the back 110 and the back 100 in whichthe toweling may freely move. This inner case 11 is divided by means ofthe shelf 12 into a lower compartment 13 in which the roll of cleantoweling 14, preferably made of'cloth, is inserted, (which roll need nothe wound on a stick) and an upper compartment 15 in which the soiledtoweling 16 is rolled up on a winding stick. In the simplier form oftowel cabinet shown in Figure 1, the front part of the shelf 12 ishorizontal while the back part slants diagonally downward so as toprovide room for the fingers between it and the driven roll 23 laterreferred to. This shelf 12 is inserted for the sanitary purpose ofseparatingthe soiled toweling from any possible contact with the cleantoweling, and when the automatic take-up mechanism is used this shelfmaylliave a gradual slant as shown in Figure 3 of the, drawings,allowing sufiicient space for the fingers between said shelf 12 and thedriver roll 22. A small notch or hole 12a is cut in the front of saidshelf in which to catch the end of a chain 43 later referred to. A slot17 is cut in each side 11b of the inner case 11, and a locking bar 18eX- tends through these slots with its ends removably mounted in holes19 out part way through the sides 10?) of the outer frame 10". In one ofsaid holes 19, a finger spring 20 is fitted which is compressed when itis desired to remove the locking bar 18. This locking bar serves toprevent the inner case 11 being.

accidentally pulled out ofthe outer frame 10 and the slots 17 are longenough to permit the innercase 11 to be, drawn toward the front, partway out of the outer frame, as shown in Figure 4 of the drawings, tomake f room in the rear for the hands when putting the new toweling in,as later described,

In the lower compartment 13, above the locking bar 18, is a drivercontrol roll 22, and in the upper compartment 15 is a driven controlroll 23 of the same construction located in the rear. Each of thesecontrol rolls 22 and 23 have a body 24 with an axle 25 extendingtherefrom, which axle is mounted in ball bearings 25a mounted in holes26 cnt'in the sides 11b of the inner case 11. Both of said rolls have aroughened peripheral surface 27 obtained by wrapping sand paper or asheet of burred metal around the body, or the body 24 may be made ofmetal roughened on the surface. "Within a groove 32, made by cuttingfrom the outside part way through the sides 11b of the inner case, atthe end of said rolls 22 and 23, is mounted on each axle 25 a sprocketwheel 28 with teeth 29, on which ismounted a chain 30 which connectsboth ratchet wheels 28 which are fixed on the rolls 22 and 23 so thatany motion imparted to either roll moves both. Between the two sprocketwheels 28 is a double locking pawl 31, the ends of which fit into thespace between the teeth 29 of both wheels 28 and prevent movement inmore than one direction, so that the soiled toweling cannot be unwound.This locking pawl 31 is pivoted at 31a offcenter-towards the driven rollso as to stay engaged in its locking position at all times.

The cleantoweling 14 is in direct contact with part of the roughenedsurface 27 of the driver roll 22 so that as the clean toweling 14 ispulled out this driver roll is caused to rotate, which-in turn causesthe driven roll 23 torotate, and this in turn causes the roll of soiledtoweling 16, which rests by gravity on the roughened surface 27 of saiddriven roll 23, to rotate in the opposite direction thereby winding thesoiled toweling 16. A winding stick 36 on which the soiled toweling 16is rolled, preferably having a portion be- 7 tween its ends cut out tomake a flat surface,

as clearly shown in Figure 8 of the drawings, is inserted in the loop 37at one end of the toweling as shown in Figure 9 of the drawings, andthen said stick is inserted in the guide slots llbb cut in the innercase 11, which extend from the front of said case for a short distancehorizontally and then diag onally downward so that the stick 36 with thesoiled toweling wound around it rests directly on the driven roll 23,and as the soiled towel roll 16 becomes larger, the winding stiglj .36moves upwardly in the guide slots 11 When it is desired to keep thetoweling out of sight, instead of having a loop of it vise ible as shownin Figure 10f the drawings, this cabinet previously described isequipped with an automatic take-up mechanism for the soiled toweling.The only toweling then visible is' that portion running over theextension piece 1070, just sufi'icient'toweling to see where it is andgrasp it. This mechanism is slidably mounted in slots 113)???) out inthe rearward portion of the sides 11?) of the inner case 11. In Figure 3of the drawings this automatic take-up mechanism is clearly shown, whichconsists of a movable traveler 38 having two sides 39 which slide in thegrooves 115% and normally rest on the rubber bumpers 11pm at the bottomof the inner case 11 on each side, a top 40 connecting the two sides 39,a traveler roll 41, under which the soiled toweling passes, rotatablymounted in the sides 39 intermediate of their height, an eye 42 attachedto the top 40 and a chain 43, one end of which is attached to said eye42 and the other end having a ring 44a, which chain extends from saidtop 40 upwardly to the top of the inner case 11 where a small portion isinserted between the outer frame top 10d and the inner case top 45 eler37 to drop, and in so doing the traveler roll 41 strikes the towelingand carries it downwardly. Next said'free end ispulled.

11d with the ring 444 hangingdown in-the compartment-15,: where itremains While the cablnet is in use. When filling the cabinet this chain43 is pulled downwardly and the .end with the ring 44a is caught in thehole 12acut-in the shelf 12 as showninFigure 4 of thedra'wings. VVhenequipped with this automatic take-up mechanism, the inner case ,11isprovided with two-rotating rolls 4.4Land 45, spaced apart, permanentlymounted in -the;

sides 11?) nearthe 'rearof the inner case '11 over which the soiledtowel1ng16 passes;

- It has been found preferableto use lengths of toweling ofapproximately twentyfive yards, and when morejtoweling is required aclasp is usedito, connect two lengths by slipping said clasp into theloops 37 at the end of e'ach'length, as shown in Figure-10' of thedrawings.

"The operation of 'thisntowelcabinet with the automatic: take-up"mechanism. is as follows:

To insert arollof clean'toweling, the-door 10f is opened and theinnercase 11. ispulled out as far as the locking bar 18 will permit,

as shown in Figure '4 of. the drawings. The i chain 43' ispulledvoutwardlyand downwardly and caught in thernotch'12a'in-"theshelf12 which causes the traveler 37 to move upwardly as shown in Figure4 of therdraw ings. Next a roll ofclean toweling-14 is placed in thelower=compartinent of the inner case and 0ne end, termed the free end,is pulled up and inserted betweenthe locking bar 18 and the'driver roll22 and over the top of said driver roll 22 and down and outwardlythrough the space 109; This free 1 end is brought under the cabinet andpushed through the slot 10aa and up the back between the outer fr'ame'and inner case and,

over the two rotating rolls 44 and 45, which brings it under thetraveler roll 41, which] is now suspended above and between' the' rolls44 and 45. The chain 43 is then slipped out of the notch 12a whichpermits the travoutwardly and the windingstick 36 is inserted throughthe loop 37 formedin'said end, and said stick is slipped into the guideslots 1166 and pushed until it drops down and rests on the driven roll23. The traveler clean toweling roll 14 in order to make the properconnection with the winding stick 36,

:the toweling is marked ata certainpoint, as by a c01ored'line,'and thecleantoweling'ls unwoundfrom the roll 14 untilt-hat portion with thecolored line on it comes ofi the roll. The user, standingvinfront oflthecab net,

grasps the ,outeredge of that small portion 7 of the toweling. whichpassesover theex'tension piecelOic, pulls downwardly and outwardlycausing it tounwind from the roll of clean COYVQlHIg 14, which 1n turn,causes, the

roll of vsoiled toweling 16to wind at the same time therroll 14 unwinds,which pullingmay 'continue'until two lengths of toweling, each equaltothe distancebetween the roll 44 and the traveler roll 41, have beenunwoundfrom the "clean roll and wound on the soiled-roll ing lifts thetraveler 38' gradually upward until the-bottom of the traveler roll41is. ap-

proximately even with the'top; of the; rolls '44 and45, at whichpoint-the limit isrea'ched,x the toweling' becomes taut, and-no furtherwinding or unwinding of'either the soiled or t clean toweling can takeplace. ,:T11lS constitutes the measured servicewhereby each user islimited by each operation of the automatic take up mechanism to acertain length; of towelingit At the' same time that the clean towelingis pulledout of the-cabinet,- a'length ofsoiled toweling: not greaterthan the dis tance between the roll 45 and, the traveler roll V v 41 iswithdrawn from the cabinet -which length furnishes sufiicient slackpermitting the'clea'n toweling to be freely moved, about by the user indrying himself; After thev'usler has driedihimself,he releases thetoweling,

V respectively. This winding of soiled towel- 7 ice and the traveler;38, which has been held inthe Q position above referred-to,immediatelydrops t by gravityito its normal position, and that 2 portion ofthetoweling which the person has just used-i'sautomatically withdrawninside.

the'cabinet'back of the extension piece 107a,:

ise used, the doorlis opened-and the winding sticki36, with the soiledtoweling wound aroundit, is slipped-out of the guide slots 11b?) andthecabinet again 'filled with a clean I'Oll. I; v I:

-Whe'n the cabinet, without the automatic take-up mechanism, is:used,'asshownf in Figure 1 of the drawings, the-roll of clean toweling;is. inserted the. same way, disregarding that part which applies tothe"automatic mechanism,v the free endoftowe-ling being run underthe-cabinet and up the back: directlyaontothe winding; stick 36, exceptthat-allowance must be made between the two rolls of-toweling ,14 and16for a portion of the jtoweling to hang exposed under the cabinetfin aloop 51.; Only the toweling' which constitutes the front half of theloop 51 is used for wiping, and the measured service consists ofthisfront half, although there is nothingto preventthe userin dryinghimself, to continuously withdrawall of thecleantoweling,

"Y :When the last of the roll of clean toweling' i nism is used.

Even when'the cabinet is equipped wit this automatic take-upmechanism,it maybe disregarded if, for any reason, it is not clesired,and the toweling inserted and used just as ifthe mechanism were notthere, leaving a loop 51 hanging below the cabinet. i

' I claim as my invention:

1. A towel cabinet comprising an outer frame and an'inner case'havingaforward and backward sliding movement, the side walls of said innercase having substantially horizontal slots therein, a bar extendingacross said inner case and having its end portions projecting throughsaid slotsand fitting within holes provided in; said outer frame, saidinner case being'free to slide on said barand being limited'in itsforward and backward movement by said bar, the lower portion of saidinner case having a support-for a towel supply, a driver roll mounted insaid inner case above-said towel supply and over which a 'web of cleantowel may be stretched from said supply, a door for the front of saidouterframe, an opening being provided in the bottom of the cabinetthrough which the web of clean towel may be drawn for use.-

2. A towel cabinet comprising an outer frame and an inner case having aforward and backwardsliding movement, the side walls of said inner casehaving substantially horizontal slots therein. a removable bar estendingacross saidinner case and having its end portions projecting throughsaid slots and fitting within holes providedin said outer frame, saidinner case being free to slide on saidbar and being limited in itsforward and backward movement by said-bar, the lower portion of saidinner case having a supportfor" a towel supply, a driver roll betweensaid guide rolls and under which towel supply in its lower portion,instrumentalities for feeding the towel outwardly from the cabinet,awall separating the towel supply from the rear'wall of the cabinet toform a narrow vertical gap, the bottom of the cabinet having anopeningleading to said gap, guide rolls mounted in said cabinet abovesaidv wall and over which the web of soiled towel carried upwardlythrough said opening may be stretched, a winding stick mounted in saidcabinet abovesaid guide rolls, a drivenroll mounted for contact with theconvolutions of the towel web on said winding stick, a travelerextending across the cabinet and having vertical guides in the sidewalls thereof extending from the bottom of said cabinet to a point aboveand in the rear of said dri on roll, said traveler being adapted tocontactwith the towel web between said guide rolls and exert a downwardpull thereon to draw the towel in to the cabinet, and flexible meansconnected to said traveler and extending to the top of the cabinetfor'raising'said traveler and holding it in its upper nonworkingposition.

CHARLES w; THOMPSON.

mounted in said inner case abovesaid slots near said bar and rearwardlythereof and whereto the web of clean towel may be stretched from saidsupply, the bottom ofsaid case having an opening through which the webof towel may depend, the relative position of said bar and driver rollbeing such that a web may be held by said bar incontact with said driverroll. 7

3. Atowel cabinet having a support for a towel supply in its lowerportion, instrumen talities for feeding the-towel outwardly from thecabinet, a wall separating the towel sup ply from the rear wall of thecabinet to form a narrow vertical gap, the bottom of the cabinet havingan opening leading to said gap, guiderolls mounted in said cabinet abovesaid wall and over which the web of soiled towel carried upwardlythrough said opening may be stretched, a winding stick mounted in saidcabinet above said guide rolls, a driven roll mounted for contact withthe 'convolutions of the towel web on said winding stick, a travelerhaving a vertical movement insaid gap n u u

